I launched my company earlier this month, and started by advertising at UKOUG.
I have always been very aware of partners in the usergroup community being perceived rightly or wrongly as just being there to get more customers, but partners are part of the Oracle Community and UKOUG is about 'Serving the Oracle Community'. Most partners understand the need to not be overtly advertising and when they do it properly their presentations are very educational.
There are advertising opportunities for partner members, they pay for these services such as magazine inserts, sponsorship, exhibition etc., and I personally took out adverts in Oracle Scene and the Ireland and Application Transformation events.
As for my presentations, I have branding for the PowerPoint but that is it. I am proud of what I do and hope to make a living from it, but being an active member of UKOUG gives me the network which is so important, it is not a shortcut. Being a member of UKOUG and a member advocate allows me to represent all users, learn and pass on that knowledge. Yes it is a tightrope but I enjoy the challenge and think it is a skill I have mastered.
2 comments:
You are right, it is a tightrope.
I'm sure you have enough experience of both UKOUG and the Oracle community to make a success of it
Graham Spicer
Debra, wish you all the best and success in the new venture. We've know each other for (cough) years and you are such a wealth of "Oracle" knowledge. All the better now you are independent. Good Luck!
Post a Comment